Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Should artefacts in museums overseas be returned?

The Sri Lankan Government has apparently made a fresh request that artefacts in British Museums be returned. This request has been made before but Britain has not responded.

Given the fact that Sri Lanka's politicos were almost certainly complicit in the robbery of the Colombo Museum, I think there is a very good case for leaving them where they are. Why should they be returned, if they are only to be stolen and either sold or used to decorate the houses of the politikka's who are now competing with one another to build palatial houses in Colombo 7?

Better that they be kept safe and secure in museums overseas, where they can be studied and enjoyed by humanity at large.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

As much as I would like to enjoy seeing them myself in our Museum, we have not got to the stage yet, where we can be comfortable, that they will be protected and preserved better than they currently are.

After all if future generations are to enjoy it, the rate at which we seem to be extracting and pilfering artifacts that may be sold overseas will mean that it is better to prevent smuggling out than get those already taken returned.

I have yet to see a worthwhile artifact that has been saved! I hear daily of kilos of gold artifacts being extracted. Where are they?

Let us get our priorities right. Not distract our focus from thieving into blaming some historic event, when they were taken into Museaums and collections for public display.